343 details Halo 4 multiplayer changes

If you haven't picked up the latest issue of GameInformer, 343 Industries has touched on some of the Halo 4 multiplayer changes detailed in the magazine, particularly the weapon drop and player spawn systems.

"After looking at what has worked in the past and what we wanted to change for the future, we decided to build a new weapon spawning system from the ground up for Halo 4," 343 explained. "Our primary goal was to make the system accessible to both new and returning Halo players, and also to make it fit within the context of Infinity–a massive vessel that is the new home of Halo multiplayer."

Initial weapon drops still happen at the beginning of the match, but the big difference is the addition of timers that are set for when they drop in after the match initially starts.

According to the developers, UI elements communicate the time and destination of their impending arrivals. In addition, the style of map will oftentimes determine the type of drops. For instance, larger maps will result in more long-range weapon drops. You will have the opportunity to customize the ordinance in custom games.

The Halo 4 developers have also have also taken a look at the spawn system, determining the average number of living players on the map at a time, how long it takes to seen an opponent, how quickly you can get back in the mix, the length of time spent death vs. alive, and overall expected life spans.

Opting for more player freedom, in certain modes, players can control the timing for when they spawn. Now when you die, you can choose to spawn immediately or wait a while to set your loadout. Objective games typically use specially-tuned spawn timers. Like weapons, you will be able to tweak these settings in custom games.

Matt Liebl
You can follow Senior News Editor Matt Liebl on Twitter @Matt_GZ. He likes games, sports, musicals, and his adorable dog, Wrigley, and his wife.